Chapter 243: Chapter 243: Title: Plum Blossoms

Today was the day of the second round of selection. Since it wasn’t convenient to bring both children along, Gu Qinghuan could only drop them off at Chen Fengqin’s house to play with Erdan for the day.

Because she wasn’t sure exactly when she’d be back, Gu Qinghuan also packed them lunch—about a dozen large pork buns.

Chen Fengqin insisted several times that she didn’t mind feeding the kids, but Gu Qinghuan didn’t want to take advantage. No one was well-off these days, and it was rare to get a proper meal throughout the year.

After settling the children, Gu Qinghuan set off.

She left a bit late, so by the time she arrived at the classroom for the assessment, almost everyone was already there.

But she wasn’t late—it was just that everyone else had come too early.

Lin Xiaomeng waved her over to sit beside her, and Gu Qinghuan went over as well.

Everyone waited until nine o’clock. The same group of teachers from last time arrived, along with a middle-aged man with graying hair who looked like he was in charge. Everyone instinctively followed behind him.

Gu Qinghuan guessed he was probably the principal or some other leader.

Sure enough, the lead teacher introduced him as Principal Chen from the commune elementary school.

Principal Chen gave a brief speech, basically encouraging everyone to do their best and expressing hope that capable teachers would join their team.

After that, the assessments began in the order drawn the previous day.

Principal Chen and the other teachers served as the judges.

People went in one by one, and when they came out, they all looked worried and disappointed—clearly not satisfied with their performance.

Since everyone was competing for the same positions, no one wanted to give others an edge, so those who had already been assessed said nothing about what went on inside. This was only natural.

Unknowingly, more than two hours passed.

Gu Qinghuan sat calmly in her seat, waiting for her number to be called.

Lin Xiaomeng alternated between looking calm and fidgeting nervously, until finally, it was her turn.

“Good luck!” Gu Qinghuan offered her some encouragement.

“Thanks!” Lin Xiaomeng went in.

About half an hour later, Lin Xiaomeng finally came out, and number eight went in.

She walked over to Gu Qinghuan, still looking a bit dazed as she sat down.

Then she whispered in Gu Qinghuan’s ear, “Qinghuan, I think I might have a chance! The teachers seemed pretty satisfied with me, and even the principal praised me for having the bearing of a teacher.”

Gu Qinghuan whispered back, “Then let me congratulate you in advance.”

“It’s all thanks to your reminders yesterday. I did pretty well overall today. Oh, by the way, everyone draws their own topic inside, and each person gets a different one, but it seems like it’s only Chinese and math. I got ‘Ode to the Goose,’ which was relatively simple, and I added some of my own insights, so it went well.” Lin Xiaomeng quietly shared.

“Okay, I got it. Thank you!” Gu Qinghuan had already guessed as much, but she appreciated Lin Xiaomeng telling her.

“Good luck, you can do it too.”

Lin Xiaomeng genuinely hoped Gu Qinghuan would get the job. She’d much rather work with Gu Qinghuan than with a stranger, since they at least knew each other.

As for Jiang Xue, her chances weren’t great—she’d ranked eighth in the written exam and drew a late number for this round as well.

Not long after they finished talking, number eight came out, and it was Gu Qinghuan’s turn.

Lin Xiaomeng also wished her luck: “Go for it!”

Gu Qinghuan straightened her clothes and walked into the assessment classroom with composure.

A few teachers and the principal were seated below the podium. One of the teachers came over with a stack of papers for her to draw from.

Gu Qinghuan picked one at random.

“Please give an impromptu lesson based on the topic on your paper. You have up to half an hour. You may begin whenever you’re ready.”

Gu Qinghuan’s topic was “Plum Blossoms”:

In the corner, a few branches of plum blossom,

Bloom alone, braving the cold.

From afar, you know it’s not snow,

For a subtle fragrance drifts your way.

This is also a poem every elementary student must learn.

Being given only this poem and asked to teach for half an hour isn’t exactly easy—at least not for a new teacher.

But Gu Qinghuan wasn’t just anyone; this was nothing she couldn’t handle.

She walked confidently to the podium, picked up a piece of chalk, and wrote the poem on the blackboard in beautiful, neat handwriting. The judges below nodded approvingly.

Even the principal, who had been frowning the whole time, couldn’t help but nod.

He had thought this young woman was too pretty to be a teacher, but her handwriting made him see her in a new light. He began to reflect that he shouldn’t judge people by their appearance.

After finishing the board work, Gu Qinghuan pretended there were students below and had the “students” recite the poem with her three times, correcting their pronunciation as she went.

“‘Plum Blossoms’ is a five-character quatrain by the Northern Song poet Wang Anshi.

Before we discuss the poem, let’s learn a bit about the poet.

Wang Anshi, courtesy name Jiefu, literary name Banshan, was a Han Chinese from Fuzhou. He was a renowned thinker, politician, writer, and reformer of the Northern Song dynasty. He is considered one of the ‘Eight Great Prose Masters of the Tang and Song’ along with Han Yu, Liu Zongyuan, and others.

He twice served as Chancellor, implementing major reforms. After being dismissed in the ninth year of Xining, he retired and died in Zhongshan, Jiangning. He was posthumously titled ‘Wen’ and is also known as Wang Wengong.

His political reforms had a profound impact on the Northern Song’s later social and economic development, and even had characteristics of modern reforms.

So, under what circumstances did he write this poem?

In the first year of Xining, he advocated ‘mobilizing the wealth of the rich to save the poor,’ strengthening the country and its military through comprehensive reforms.

But opposition and slander were constant. In the seventh year of Xining, a severe drought struck, famine spread, and Wang Anshi was dismissed.

The following February, he was reinstated as Chancellor.

In the ninth year of Xining, he was dismissed again. Disheartened, he gave up on reform and retired to Zhongshan.

At this time, Wang Anshi’s loneliness and difficult circumstances were much like the plum blossom blooming proudly in the snow, so he wrote this poem.

The meaning of the poem is: A few branches of plum blossom in the corner bloom alone, braving the harsh cold.

Why, from afar, can you tell that the white plum blossoms aren’t snow?

Because a subtle fragrance drifts from them.

The first two lines describe the plum blossoms in the corner, unafraid of the cold, blooming proudly, unnoticed and unappreciated, but unconcerned.

‘In the corner’ highlights the humble setting and the solitary, self-reliant nature of the blossoms. This reflects the poet’s own difficult circumstances and his determination to stick to his principles.

‘Bloom alone’ emphasizes the plum blossom’s fearlessness in the cold, its refusal to follow the crowd, and its perseverance in blooming even in a remote, deserted place. This describes not only the character of the plum blossom, but also personal integrity.

The last two lines focus on the plum blossom’s subtle fragrance. ‘From afar’ shows that the scent drifts from a distance—faint, not obvious. The poet’s keen sense of smell and unique insight allow him to notice it.

‘Not snow’ means that from a distance, the blossoms look pure and white, but you know they’re not snow, but plum blossoms.

‘Subtle fragrance’ refers to the scent of the plum blossom. Using the plum blossom as a metaphor for people, it blooms alone in the cold, symbolizing noble character; its subtle fragrance represents hidden talent and virtue.”"